Instead of Investigating the Truth

Drama in court during the hearing to extend the detention of the esteemed tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

"Why do you not call him 'Rabbi'?" wondered Attorney Amit Hadad regarding the offensive and dismissive attitude of the police investigator toward the esteemed tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a. Then, Attorney Amit Hadad pulled out and presented to the investigator a rabbinical ordination certificate of Rav Berland shlit"a.

The police investigator replied: "He told me he is not a Rabbi."

Attorney Amit Hadad continued: "He is telling you 'bubbe meises' (old wives' tales) and you believe him," the attorney exposed the ignorance of the police, who presume to investigate a great Rabbi in Israel while not even knowing that he was ordained to the rabbinate decades ago by the greatest of that generation.

Then, Attorney Amit Hadad pulled out a letter from the Rishon LeZion, the Chief Rabbi of Israel at that time, the Gaon Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l, in which one can see an official confirmation that the esteemed tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, was ordained to the rabbinate decades ago by the greatest of Israel.

Then, Attorney Amit Hadad continued and asked: "Do you know that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l asked Rav Berland to perform a pidyon nefesh (redemption of the soul) for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's wife?"

Police: "No"

Attorney Hadad: "Are you familiar with this document?" The attorney pulls out another letter in which Rabbi Ovadia Yosef asks Rav Berland to act for his wife's healing.

Police: I have not seen this document.

Attorney Hadad: "The Rav is not telling you the truth (as is known, according to a halachic ruling, it is permitted to lie for the sake of humility and receiving humiliation) and instead of investigating the truth, you are investigating the Rav!"

"Do you know that in a newspaper article published about two years ago, it was reported and quoted that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l said, 'In our generation, the one who knows how to perform a pidyon is Rav Eliezer Berland.'"

Attorney Hadad: "Are you aware that in 1978, Rav Berland signed a document with the Baba Sali?"

Police: "I am not familiar with the document."

Then, Attorney Amit Hadad said the key sentence that should stand before the Israel Police when they come to address the case of Rav Berland shlit"a.

Attorney Amit Hadad: "An 82-year-old man in the (spiritual) style of Rav Berland and by his nature, what comes out of his mouth versus the truth is not always the same; this is a man who wants to take humiliation upon himself and has a different soul. And the police must investigate and not believe everything he says."

Court: "I am not an expert in the science of the soul."

In fact, Attorney Hadad expressed astonishment before the court regarding the amateurish conduct of the Israel Police and the State Attorney's Office regarding Rav Berland shlit"a. The attorney said what tens of thousands in Israel have understood over the last sixty years. When one comes to deal with a true tzaddik like Rav Berland, the conduct must be different; after all, the tzaddik does not seek honor in this world, or recognition from the public. On the contrary, the tzaddik seeks the will of Hashem, and a servant of Hashem only reaches this after he cleanses himself of any desire for self-honor and external greatness. Then, he can reflect the will of Hashem in the world without adding his own opinion.

It is beautiful to see that Attorney Amit Hadad hit exactly on the point that distorts the conduct of the police and the prosecution regarding Rav Berland shlit"a. While the investigators try to pressure Rav Berland, thinking they are achieving some success in the interrogations against him, in reality, Rav Berland uses them as a tool to draw more humiliation upon himself and more vessels for the removal of the ego (nullification to the Infinite), as well as the sweetening of decrees from upon the people of Israel and bringing the Geulah closer.

Above - a letter of support from Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Wosner, author of the responsa "Shevet Halevi" and novellae of "Shevet Halevi" on the Shas and the Torah. He served as the head of the rabbinical court and Mara D'Atra in the Zichron Meir neighborhood, and head of the Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. He was called by many in the Chassidic public the "Posek of the Generation" - who joins together with the greatest of the generation (as written in the letter) to support the esteemed tzaddik, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, in the tremendous enterprise of bringing tens of thousands in Israel to teshuvah (repentance).

At this stage of the hearing, Attorney Amit Hadad continues to show the fatal mistakes of the Israel Police regarding Rav Berland shlit"a. Attorney Hadad quoted from the Chief Rabbi of Israel, the Rishon LeZion, the Gaon Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l, in which it is written: "In our generation, the one who knows how to perform a pidyon nefesh is Rav Eliezer Berland." If the testimony of the greatest of the poskim since the establishment of the state, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, were not enough, Attorney Amit Hadad presented the document signed by Rabbi Ovadia, together with the signature of the G-dly kabbalist, Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira zt"l, the Baba Sali zya"a.

In these authentic documents, Attorney Amit Hadad revealed that Rav Berland shlit"a actually has a halachic ruling and halachic authority recognized by the greatest of the generation for performing pidyon nefesh, and any attempt to claim otherwise is contrary to the Torah of Israel.

It should be noted that for thousands who were blessed through the prayers and the pidyon nefesh of Rav Berland shlit"a, Rav Berland has long been known as an expert in the matter (as videos and letters have been published with hundreds who were blessed by the pidyon nefesh of Rav Berland) and he has no need to justify himself or bring proofs for this. But, as we noted above, Rav Berland will never say this about himself; on the contrary, Rav Berland will only try to confuse those who doubt it and will bring upon himself more and more humiliation.

Representative testimonies from all walks of the public about people who were blessed by the prayer and pidyon nefesh of Rav Berland shlit"a